Aussie dad calls out common problem with taking kids skiing

For many families, it's a massive roadblock and the reason why so many children miss out on the snow. 

An Australian dad who has been skiing since he was a kid was “absolutely blown away” when he did some quick calculations to reveal how much more expensive it is to hit the slopes these days – and he is not alone in his thinking.

Michael Atkinson, a keen adventurer who was a contestant on extreme survival TV series Alone Australia last year, revealed that in 1990 a lift pass at Perisher was $46; but this year it cost $249.

“And it’s not inflation because I plugged it into an RBA inflation calculator and it should today cost $107 – chuck on GST because that came in later, and it should be $118,” he said in a video shared to his Instagram, where he is known as @outback_mike.

“Inflation adjusted, the lift ticket should cost $118. It costs more than double that. Absolutely nuts.”

Mr Atkinson told news.com.au he believed it was just another example of how much larger the gap has become between rich and poorer Australians.

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Mike said he was blown away by the cost of a one-day lift pass at his favourite resort, Perisher. Image: Instagram

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Families are missing out

“If you were in the 90s and you charged that much, not enough people would go because not enough people could pay it,” he said.

“It’s a finite resource and they can basically charge what they want and the rich people will pay.”

He said his intention was not to blame wealthy Australians, but rather draw people’s attention to how society has changed.

Mr Atkinson said he used to stack shelves at Woolworths to save for his lift ticket as a teen, whereas his 15-year-old son would be struggling to by a house, let alone have spare savings to spend on skiing.

“I love the ski industry, skiing is my favourite sport and I have done it since I was a kid and I wasn’t a rich kid,” he said.

“I was paying for it by myself and it was doable, but if I was to be born again in this generation it would be harder.”

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In his Instagram post, he referred to ALDI’s famous snow gear sale.

In years gone past, by the time the first snow flake had fallen, shelves would be empty and shoppers decked out in their fresh kits ready for the season ahead.

But this year piles of ski jackets spilt from the aisles and mountains of boxes of boots destined for the slopes were spotted collecting dust.

Mr Atkinson’s video resonated with other Aussies, who remembered fondly the days when skiing was much more affordable.

“I grew up skiing at Hotham, I could ski before I could walk properly. I can’t give this same experience to my son because a two-week trip that would cost around $1000 for a family of five back in the 90s is now closer to $15,000,” one person wrote.

“I was out snow camping last week talking about this very thing with my mate. Skiing is a rich men’s sport. Even to access camping, we head out onto the remote 4WD tracks to get our snow camping fix, because parking at the resorts and hiking from there will cost you over $100 just for a two day parking fee,” another said.

“It’s not a gap between rich and poor, it’s an abyss. So sad we’ve come to this Dickensian crossroads. Selwyn or bust! Car camping at Adaminaby, hot water bottle and cuppa soup is STILL a challenge!” added a third.

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Many said it was clear Perisher was pushing ski lovers to buy season passes, which worked out cheaper if skiing for five days or more.

Looking at prices for this Saturday, a one-day lift ticket at Perisher – Australia’s largest ski resort – costs $237 online ($249 on the day), while its NSW rival Thredbo is selling tickets for $209 (based on adults 22-64 years old).

Perisher, Falls Creek and Hotham are owned by US giant Vail Resorts, with Perisher bought by the company in 2015.

An Epic Australia Pass, if purchased before the end of May, was priced at $1149 for adults and includes unlimited access to these Aussie resorts and limited access to Vail’s international resorts. The pass was discounted further for those that purchased earlier in the year.

Thredbo sold a limited number of season passes for $1799 (based on adults 22-64 years old). An Ikon Base Pass (the rival of Epic Pass) could be added for $300 extra and allows access to Mt Buller in Victoria and a network of international ski resorts.

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Is it worth it? 

Perisher vice president and general manager Nathan Butterworth said they were “proud of the value and choice” they offered skiers.

“The majority of visits to our resorts are from pass holders, not guests skiing and riding with a lift ticket,” he said.

“Passes provide tremendous value and exclusive benefits. For our guests who did not purchase a Pass ahead of the season, we offer up to 30 per cent off the cost of lift tickets if you buy online in advance.

“Only a small percentage of our guests purchase lift tickets on the day, when they are most expensive. We are committed to continually investing in the guest experience at our resorts and appreciate all of our guests who enjoy skiing and riding with us.”

Mr Atkinson said Perisher was his favourite resort and he had even worked there, but in recent years he has instead been back-country skiing camping in a tent – “partly because I knew how ridiculously expensive it was”.

The 47-year-old is a former military pilot and is now a filmmaker, who documents his travels and extreme outdoor adventures.

His new book Modern Day Castaway, published in June, is about his 1500-kilometre sail to the northern tip of Australia in a dugout canoe, living off the land and sea.

Originally published as Aussie dad calls out common problem with taking kids skiing